40. Grace
Chapter 40
Grace
When I step off the bike at Coyote Ridge Ranch, I get a wolf whistle.
“Ha, ha,” I yell.
I know exactly why one of the three other Alphas—I’m not sure which one, since they’re all walking over from the barn—just whistled at me. I look mussed and flushed, and not in the way you get just from riding a motorcycle.
All right, so maybe Cade and I stopped by a lovely overlook just off the trail on the way down the mountain and fucked in the grass. Like any of the other three are any better.
It was so sweet too. Gentle and slow. But no less intense for it. I feel like I finally got to the heart of who Cade is and why he’s so closed off. I mourn the boy that he was, and the person he could have been if he hadn’t been taken away from everyone and taught that love was pain.
But I’m glad that I could help him to realize that love can be joyful too, and that he doesn’t have to live in fear of loss. I’m so glad that he has his pack, and that he gets to be out and about instead of living cooped up and hidden away in that cabin.
“You’re just in time for lunch break,” Jesse says as we all head up into the ranch house, dusting ourselves off. “Although it looks like you two already had a meal of your own.”
I flush at the clear innuendo in his voice, and Hendrix chuckles. “You know we can feel exactly what you’re feeling, right?” he asks. “There’s no point in playing coy.”
“We weren’t trying to play coy ,” I insist, even as Cade grins. “I don’t think either of us even knows how to be coy.”
“What I mean,” Hendrix continues, “is that we know exactly how hard he made you come.”
My face flushes. I’ve been shared between all of these men, so I shouldn’t be embarrassed. But I can’t help the way my cheeks heat. Knowing they felt how hard I orgasmed and how good Cade made me feel… it’s a new form of intimacy. I’m not upset about it, far from it, but it is overwhelming.
Cade cracks a rare smile. “I get it, guys. Must be hard, knowing first-hand that you can’t make her come as hard as I can.”
That’s a lie. All four Alphas can make me come equally hard. But it’s the teasing challenge that the other three love, and I love it too—their playful banter, although there’s no real jealousy, just teasing.
My heart feels so light and full, having that precious time with Cade and then coming back home to the three others, ready to make lunch and relax. I don’t think after Cade’s confession that I can deny it anymore—I’m falling for them.
Or, well… maybe that is me dodging the truth: that I’ve already fallen.
I wish that it made me happy. It does, I feel so incredibly happy, it’s just that I can’t just bask in this joy. I have my life back in New York to think about. My career. My boss is waiting on me, my apartment, my life . I can’t just give that up.
But I also love these men. And I’m not sure what to do with that.
Hendrix collapses onto the couch, lounging on it, and tugs me into his lap. I giggle as I land sprawled across him, unprepared.
“Well, I think there’s only one way to settle this,” Hendrix drawls. He idly kisses up my neck.
I tip my head back, shivering with heat. I have the feeling I know where this is going. They’re all going to share me and compete on who can make me come the hardest.
The very idea has me getting wet.
We all pause when Jesse’s phone rings, cutting through the sexual tension gathering in the room. He groans, pulling his cell out of his pocket before swiping to answer.
“Hello?”
Whatever the person on the other end of the line says makes Jesse frown, his entire body going stiff. I can feel how tense he is, his displeasure and frustration.
“Is that so? Uh huh.” He nods, his brows drawing together. “Okay. Thank you for telling me. All right. Yeah, you too.”
Jesse hangs up, and I scramble up from Hendrix’s lap as Hendrix straightens. “What was that?”
Jesse’s face is grim. “That was Grady.” He glances at me. “He’s one of the guys who helps organize the livestock options. He’s heard a rumor recently, and with the reputation the McAllisters have, he figured better safe than sorry and wanted to warn us.”
“What’re those rattlesnakes up to now?” Hendrix’s voice is hard.
“A lot, apparently.” Jesse rubs his forehead. “They’re on the warpath against us. Properly this time. No half-measures.”
“What do you mean?” My stomach churns with nerves.
Jesse starts to pace. “They plan to attend this cattle auction that’s coming up and bid aggressively on some key livestock.”
“Let me guess.” Easton snorts. “The same bulls we had our eye on for our breeding program.”
“You guessed it. I don’t know how they figured out what our plans are, but they’re going to do everything they can to outbid us. And they just might have the money to manage it too. Grady also mentioned something about underhanded tactics—he’s going to sequester the auctioneers, he was worried about any of them taking bribes to ignore us and give the bids to the McAllisters.”
“These are the kinds of tactics those bastards always use,” Hendrix growls. “And they never succeed.”
“They might this time if we don’t jump on it,” Jesse replies. “Grady says he’s already heard some rumors about our supposed ‘bad behavior.’ The McAllisters have been talking shit about us. He refuted the rumors and let the people doing the talking know what horseshit it is, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t others who still believe it.”
“A lie gets around the world before the truth can even get its pants on,” Easton intones grimly.
“You think the McAllisters are the source of the rumors?” I ask.
“Oh, I’m sure they are. I’d bet my bottom dollar.”
“They know they’re not popular,” Easton adds. “It’s part of why they haven’t been able to succeed so far in competing with us. They don’t exactly make friends wherever they go. But they’ve come close to beating us on things a few times—equipment we wanted, land we needed, business partnerships with suppliers or distributors—and the reason they failed was because the people involved chose to go with us instead.”
“Even if the McAllisters offered them more money,” Hendrix explains, “the people involved felt that they would be better treated by working with us.”
“If they can make it sound like that’s not the case,” I say slowly, putting it together, “then they can finally beat you and get some deals or land you need.”
Cade nods grimly.
“That’s bullshit!” I jump to my feet, filled with rage. “You can’t take this lying down!”
“Oh, trust me, wildcard, we won’t,” Jesse says. He stops pacing to glare, although I know he’s not actually glaring at me. He’s just pissed. All the Alphas are. “We’re going to take care of this, don’t you worry.”
“You’re going to have to hold me back if we run into them at the auction,” I snap. “I’m liable to give them not just a piece of my mind, but a piece of my fists!”
I don’t know what damage I could actually do when I’m half the size of the McAllisters, but I’d sure give it my best shot.
Jesse shakes his head. “No, Grace.”
“I’m not going to actually get into a big fight,” I protest.
“No, I mean that you’re not going to the auction at all.”
“What? I was doing all this studying!” I was really excited for this auction! I wanted to learn and participate as much as I could.
“It’s for your safety.” Jesse’s tone is gentle, but firm.
“Those three wanted you, and they hate that we won’t let them have you. And they know deep down you’d say no if they asked,” Hendrix says. “We’re not going to let you be put in harm’s way.”
“They know how much we care about you,” Easton adds softly. “They could hurt you—make you twist an ankle, scare you, hell even hit you—just to get to us. We won’t let you be collateral damage.”
Damn it. I’m still upset that I’m going to be left behind, but I can’t keep arguing in the face of their concern. And they do really sound worried about me. I don’t want to be used as a pawn for the McAllisters to hurt them. I won’t let myself be used to make this whole rivalry worse, not when I was the reason there’s even a rivalry in the first place.
Ugh, this whole thing is such a mess.
I sit down slowly on the couch. Hendrix puts his arm around me. “I can feel how sad you are.”
“I just really love learning about the ranch and helping you guys. I was excited to go.”
“We’re sorry you can’t. You know you can always—come back and visit next year,” Jesse stutters out.
I swallow, thinking again about my life in New York. This time next year I’ll be back there, working at my old job again… or that’s what I’ve told myself this entire time. Now, I don’t know. I don’t actually want to think about it.
“All right. I’ll stay here.” I look at all of them in turn. “But you have to promise me not to do anything stupid.”
I look each of them in the eye until each man promises not to. But I can see the anger in their eyes.
I can’t help but worry.